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Saturday, August 2nd, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible

Christian Standard Bible ®

Exodus 4:4

The Lord told Moses, “Stretch out your hand and grab it by the tail.” So he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Call;   Communion;   Condescension of God;   Israel;   Miracles;   Moses;   Sign;   Token;   Scofield Reference Index - Miracles;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Hands, the;   Miracles;   Miracles Wrought through Servants of God;   Prophets;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Aaron;   Miracle;   Sinai;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Moses;   Snake;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Prophecy, Prophets;   Rod, Staff;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Exodus;   Moses;   Prayer;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Miracles;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Rod;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Moses;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Exodus, the;   Moses, the Man of God;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Moses;   Tail;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Miracle;   Moses;   Resurrection;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
The LORD said to Moshe, "Put forth your hand, and take it by the tail." He put forth his hand, and laid hold of it, and it became a rod in his hand.
King James Version
And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:
Lexham English Bible
And Yahweh said to Moses, "Reach out your hand and grasp it by its tail"—" (And he reached out his hand and grabbed it, and it became a staff in his palm.)—
New Century Version
but the Lord said to him, "Reach out and grab the snake by its tail." When Moses reached out and took hold of the snake, it again became a stick in his hand.
New English Translation
But the Lord said to Moses, "Put out your hand and grab it by the tail"—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand—
Amplified Bible
But the LORD said to Moses, "Reach out your hand and grasp it by the tail." So he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand—
New American Standard Bible
But the LORD said to Moses, "Reach out with your hand and grasp it by its tail"—so he reached out with his hand and caught it, and it turned into a staff in his hand—
Geneva Bible (1587)
Againe the Lorde saide vnto Moses, Put foorth thine hand, and take it by the tayle. Then he put foorth his hande and caught it, and it was turned into a rod in his hand.
Legacy Standard Bible
And Yahweh said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand and grasp it by its tail"—so he stretched out his hand and took hold of it, and it became a staff in his hand—
Contemporary English Version
"Pick it up by the tail!" the Lord told him. And when Moses did this, the snake turned back into a walking stick.
Complete Jewish Bible
Then Adonai said to Moshe, "Put your hand out and take it by the tail." He reached out with his hand and took hold of it, and it became a staff in his hand.
Darby Translation
And Jehovah said to Moses, Stretch out thy hand and take it by the tail—and he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand—
Easy-to-Read Version
but the Lord said to him, "Reach out and grab the snake by its tail." When Moses reached out and caught the snake's tail, the snake became a walking stick again.
English Standard Version
But the Lord said to Moses, "Put out your hand and catch it by the tail"—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand—
George Lamsa Translation
And the LORD said to Moses, Put forth your hand and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand;
Good News Translation
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Reach down and pick it up by the tail." So Moses reached down and caught it, and it became a walking stick again.
Literal Translation
And Jehovah said to Moses, Send out your hand and take it by the tail. And he sent out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But ye LORDE saide vnto him: Stretch forth thine hande, & take it by the tayle. Then stretched he forth his hande, and toke it, and it became a staff agayne in his hande.
American Standard Version
And Jehovah said unto Moses, Put forth thy hand, and take it by the tail (and he put forth his hand, and laid hold of it, and it became a rod in his hand);
Bible in Basic English
And the Lord said to Moses, Put out your hand and take it by the tail: (and he put out his hand and took a grip of it and it became a rod in his hand:)
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the Lorde sayde vnto Moyses: Put foorth thy hande, and take it by the tayle. And therefore he put foorth his hande, and caught it: and it became a rodde in his hande.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Put forth thy hand, and take it by the tail--and he put forth his hand, and laid hold of it, and it became a rod in his hand--
King James Version (1611)
And the Lord said vnto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the taile: And he put foorth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the Lord said to Moses, Stretch forth thine hand, and take hold of its tail: so he stretched forth his hand and took hold of the tail,
English Revised Version
And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail: (and he put forth his hand, and laid hold of it, and it became a rod in his hand:)
Berean Standard Bible
"Stretch out your hand and grab it by the tail," the LORD said to Moses. So he reached out his hand and caught the snake, and it turned back into a staff in his hand.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the Lord seide, Holde forth thin hond, and take the tail therof; he stretchide forth, and helde, and it was turned in to a yerde.
Young's Literal Translation
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, `Put forth thy hand, and lay hold on the tail of it;' and he putteth forth his hand, and layeth hold on it, and it becometh a rod in his hand --
Update Bible Version
And Yahweh said to Moses, Put forth your hand, and take it by the tail: (and he put forth his hand, and laid hold of it, and it became a rod in his hand:)
Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD said to Moses, Put forth thy hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:
World English Bible
Yahweh said to Moses, "Put forth your hand, and take it by the tail." He put forth his hand, and laid hold of it, and it became a rod in his hand.
New King James Version
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Reach out your hand and take it by the tail" (and he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand),
New Living Translation
Then the Lord told him, "Reach out and grab its tail." So Moses reached out and grabbed it, and it turned back into a shepherd's staff in his hand.
New Life Bible
But the Lord said to Moses, "Put out your hand and take it by its tail." So Moses put out his hand and caught it. And it became a stick in his hand.
New Revised Standard
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Reach out your hand, and seize it by the tail"—so he reached out his hand and grasped it, and it became a staff in his hand—
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Yahweh said unto Moses, Put forth thy hand, and take it by its tail: So he put forth his hand, and laid hold of it, and it became a staff in his hand: -
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord said: Put out thy hand, and take it by the tail. He put forth his hand, and took hold of it, and it was turned into a rod.
Revised Standard Version
But the LORD said to Moses, "Put out your hand, and take it by the tail" --so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand--
THE MESSAGE
God said to Moses, "Reach out and grab it by the tail." He reached out and grabbed it—and he was holding his staff again. "That's so they will trust that God appeared to you, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
But the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand and grasp it by its tail"—so he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand—

Contextual Overview

1Moses answered, “What if they won’t believe me and will not obey me but say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?” 2The Lord asked him, “What is that in your hand?” 3“Throw it on the ground,” he said. So Moses threw it on the ground, it became a snake, and he ran from it. 4The Lord told Moses, “Stretch out your hand and grab it by the tail.” So he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand. 5“This will take place,” he continued, “so that they will believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” 6In addition the Lord said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, his hand was diseased, resembling snow. 7“Put your hand back inside your cloak,” he said. So he put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, it had again become like the rest of his skin. 8“If they will not believe you and will not respond to the evidence of the first sign, they may believe the evidence of the second sign. 9And if they don’t believe even these two signs or listen to what you say, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the Nile will become blood on the ground.”

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

put forth: Genesis 22:1, Genesis 22:2, Psalms 91:13, Mark 16:18, Luke 10:19, Acts 28:3-6

And he put: John 2:5

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 6:7 - put out

Cross-References

Genesis 4:16
Then Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
Genesis 4:17
Cain was intimate with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain became the builder of a city, and he named the city Enoch after his son.
Genesis 4:19
Lamech took two wives for himself, one named Adah and the other named Zillah.
Genesis 4:20
Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of the nomadic herdsmen.
Genesis 15:17
When the sun had set and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch appeared and passed between the divided animals.
Exodus 13:12
you are to present to the Lord every firstborn male of the womb. All firstborn offspring of the livestock you own that are males will be the Lord’s.
Leviticus 9:24
Fire came from the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell facedown.
Numbers 16:35
Fire also came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men who were presenting the incense.
Numbers 18:12
I am giving you all the best of the fresh oil, new wine, and grain, which the Israelites give to the Lord as their firstfruits.
Numbers 18:17
“However, you must not redeem the firstborn of an ox, a sheep, or a goat; they are holy. You are to splatter their blood on the altar and burn their fat as a fire offering for a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the Lord said to Moses, put forth thy hand, and take it by the tail,.... Which to do might seem most dangerous, since it might turn upon him and bite him; this was ordered, partly that Moses might be assured it was really a serpent, and not in appearance only; and partly to try his courage, and it suggested to him, that he need not be afraid of it, it would not hurt him: the above learned doctor observes l, that he is commanded to take it by the tail; for to meddle with the serpent's head belonged not to Moses, but to Christ that spake to him out of the bush:

and he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand; as it was before. Some think this refers to the threefold state of the Israelites, first to their flourishing estate under Joseph, when they were as a rod or staff, then to their dejected state, by this rod cast to the ground, and become a serpent, and lastly to their restoration and liberty, by its becoming a rod again: others refer it to Christ, who is the power of God, and the rod of his strength, and who in his state of humiliation was like this rod, cast to the ground and became a serpent, of which the brazen serpent was a type, and who by his resurrection from the dead regained his former power; but perhaps they may be most right who think it refers to the service and ministry of Moses, which seemed terrible to him at first, like a hurtful serpent, from which he fled; but after he was confirmed by the word of God, he readily undertook it.

l De Vita Mosis, l. 1. 614.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 4:4. He put forth his hand, and caught it — Considering the light in which Moses had viewed this serpent, it required considerable faith to induce him thus implicitly to obey the command of God; but he obeyed, and the noxious serpent became instantly the miraculous rod in his hand! Implicit faith and obedience conquer all difficulties; and he who believes in God, and obeys him in all things, has really nothing to fear.


 
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